Crown of Dragons

by Nina Walker

  “I know.”

  “Yeah. I know you know. I remember. So why did you go after it?”

  Dean’s body is a coiled spring, tension tight and ready to explode. “The dragon must be here for me. He has to be one of my kind who’s passed on and I need to know what he wants with me, especially after he sent you a vision of Khali in trouble. It’s why I wanted to do that reading. I can’t see him like you can. I can’t talk to him. Only you can do that.”

  We fall into silence for a moment.

  “Hazel, if you see him again, you must call me.”

  “I’ve only seen the dragon twice,” I mutter with a shrug.

  “Not the dragon. The dragon won’t hurt you,” he presses. “I’m talking about the man who tried to attack you. Do you feel safe? You can’t go around by yourself anymore. He might be targeting you.”

  My heart rate picks up as the PTSD washes over me. And to think, it could happen again. It could end much worse. But if Dean’s right, why is he targeting me? There has to be a reason.

  “I know,” I grumble, disheartened. “You don’t need to remind me.”

  “Apparently, I do.” He reaches out and takes my hand in his. Warmth floods my body. “I need you safe.”

  Dean is a dragon shifter. He’s not even human. But he’s the least of my worries, it seems. Because even he doesn’t know who tried to attack me and I believe him when he says he had nothing to do with the missing women. If Dean isn’t the one out to get me, if he’s not the enemy, then who is?

  22

  Khali

  “Wherever you two are going,” Terek says with a conspiratorial grin, “I’m coming along for the ride.” He flits a hand about the air nonchalantly but, with those nails filed into clawlike points, I have to force myself not to jump back. “It’s been so boring around here lately,” he whines. “I’m in dire need for an adventure.”

  “But we just met,” Bram interjects. “Why should we bring you along for anything?”

  “I saved your life,” Terek’s reply is smooth but full of metal. “That means you owe me a debt.”

  Silence stretches between the three of us because like it or not, Terek makes a good point. The Fae are notorious for this kind of trickery, and we can’t afford to argue ourselves into a worse position. And if this man’s mind is anything to match the feline features of his appearance, it is going to be hard to best him. I’ll play along with his game—for now.

  “We don’t need a tagalong,” Bram continues, his voice hardening into accusation.

  “It’s fine,” I interject and elbow Bram in the ribcage. “But we’re not telling you where we’re going or why. You’re just going to have to trust us.”

  Terek grins, and a long, thin tail wraps around his body, dancing between us. I try not to stare, not wanting to appear rude, even though it’s one of the strangest things I’ve ever seen. “Oh, darling,” he says, “I don’t trust anybody but myself, and even that is questionable at times.”

  Bram grumbles but there’s nothing more to be said about the matter. I trudge forward and the three of us set off, an odd trio if ever there was one. Terek seems to be a mix between cat, man, and elf, and he’s a ball of energy, constantly moving, graceful but wild. He loops through the trees, and a few times hisses at threats unseen to us. Bram and I try not to stare but it’s hard not to watch him, especially with the strange hissing. I knew the Fae often took on animalistic qualities, but this is beyond what I’d ever imagined. It’s a little terrifying. Was he always like this? Or did something happen to him? Terek might tell me if I asked. And Bram might already know. But I don’t ask.

  After what feels like hours of traversing along the quiet road, Terek finally speaks, “So how far is this mystery location?”

  I clear my throat. “A couple of days walk.” Maybe that will put him off.

  “Wonderful,” he says, happily. “Just so long as we aren’t going to Highburne. It’s such a dreadful place these days. I’d rather swallow thorns than step foot there.”

  Curiosity gets the better of me. “Why is that?” Of course, I think I already know. Highburne is where the Occultists have set up residence. They’re known for their brutality. I can’t imagine it’s a joyful place for any of the Fae.

  Terek pulls a bow from his quiver and twirls it around his wrist like a baton. “Oh, you already know why Highburne can burn, Dragon Princess. Common enemy and all that.”

  “Have you been there?”

  He stops abruptly, causing Bram and me to stop, too. The forest is quiet, but not the kind of quiet of predators nearby. Then again, what would I know of it? I widen my stance and pull my elements to the surface where they sizzle just under my fingertips, ready to fight. Should I need to shift as well, my dragon is ready.

  The forest grows deathly silent, holding its breath.

  Terek is quick. He strings the arrow into the bow, points up into the canopy of green, and shoots. Seconds later, a flutter of movement is followed by the arrow fumbling back to the earth with a dull thud. A large bird, much like a hawk, lies bloodied and dead at our feet, the arrow centered through its heart. My nerves slowly uncoil. This is not what I was expecting.

  “Lunch.” Terek practically purrs, picking it up. I almost expect him to bite into the raw meat by the way he’s looking at the fowl, as if it’s the tastiest treat he’s ever seen. But luckily, he doesn’t. “Shall we stop soon?” he asks, eyeing me and Bram with utter delight. “The Princess can conjure up a fire for us and I can cook this beauty to perfection in no time.” He licks his lips and I’m stuck on the fact that he knows I can conjure fire. He must know about my abilities.

  Bram and I must appear to be shocked speechless because Terek grins savagely.

  “Come,” he says, veering off to the side of the tree-lined dirt road. “I know of an excellent spot for a picnic. We ought to get off the road for a while anyway. We’re nearing a village and the merchants will be on the road soon. Best not let anybody else see you two.” He winks. “Not everyone would be as kind as myself.”

  “That remains to be seen,” Bram grumbles but if Terek hears, he doesn’t react. I elbow Bram yet again and he widens his eyes at me, his mouth set in a determined line. He doesn’t trust Terek. He knows too much about the Fae to trust any of them, I suppose. And I get it, I do, but I also want to survive this place. So far, Terek has proved useful.

  The cat-like elf leads us down a path so thin and overgrown, it must be the kind of trail made by deer hooves and not meant for larger human feet. Unease washes over me. This time, it’s Bram’s turn to elbow me in the ribcage. I shrug and keep going because I don’t know what else to do other than to follow Terek farther into the forest.

  “Seriously, what have you gotten us into?” Bram whispers from where he walks close behind. His breath is feathery warm on my neck. His accusations feel like barbs. “What’s the plan, here?”

  “I don’t know,” I bite back, annoyed. “But will you relax for two seconds, please?”

  “I’m trying to keep us alive.”

  “Yeah, so am I.”

  Bram huffs but doesn’t say another word but I feel his glare hot on my back.

  Terek leads us deeper and deeper into the forest until we come upon a clearing. We walk into its center and he motions around us with the widest grin. “You’re welcome,” he says.

  Above us, the sun hangs high in a swath of azure sky. Below us, the grass lies soft as crushed green velvet. All around the edges of the clearing are the same mossy trees, but also, tall flowers of every color and shape. I breathe in long and deep, letting the floral aroma carry me away. For the first time in weeks, my body melts with relaxation.

  “It’s so beautiful.” I’m breathless. Enchanted. And definitely cautious, but that feeling seems to be fading on the breeze.

  “What is this place?” Bram asks. “And those flowers,” he points a curious finger, “what are they called? I think I’ve seen them depicted before in one of my books.” He seems to be shuffl
ing through the encyclopedia of information in his head and for once, unable to locate the answer. I don’t know if that’s a bad thing but it makes me giggle.

  “What are you laughing about?” Bram’s voice is teasing in return.

  Bram catches my hand and pulls me to him. I laugh again. My palm spreads open against the flat plane of his chest. He’s so much more manly than I realized. He’s grown up.

  “I can feel your heartbeat,” I say softly. But I don’t find the speed at which it’s pounding to be funny. Neither of us are laughing anymore.

  We’re standing so close now, closer than ever. The floral aroma of jasmine and lilac, rose and juniper, and so many others I can’t name, marry into the scent of the wonderfully warm earthy scent of Bram. I gulp, a shudder running through my body. When did he get so tall? When did he fill out like his brothers? How did I not see this before?

  He shifts closer, his eyes leveled on my face. It takes courage, but I find it within me to look up and meet his gaze. They are ablaze with a galaxy of sparks, layered with depth. They brighten in intensity as I stare, matching the green surrounding us. I can’t seem to focus on anything but those two bewitching eyes.

  His hands circle my waist, drawing me in so we’re not just standing close anymore, but our bodies are flushed together. Then he runs his smooth hands, ever so slowly, up my arms to cradle my face. The feeling is complete bliss, sending shockwaves over my skin. His thumb brushes a loose strand of hair from my cheek, lingering for much too long. My eyes flash to his cherry lips, so full and inviting.

  What would it feel like to kiss those lips?

  I don’t have to wait to find out. He presses them to mine with that perfect intensity that is unique only to Bram. His is the kind of focus that takes souls, and he takes mine without caution. I surrender, closing my eyes and opening my mouth and my every emotion to him. I never knew a kiss could be like this. I never knew anything could be like this. My heart burns in my chest, my every sense tuned into Bram, to the feel of his muscles under my hands, his scent in my nose, his taste in my mouth. If I am lost in him, then I don’t want to be found.

  Terek’s insidious laugh breaks us apart. “Wow, that was quite the response!”

  Bram shuffles back from me, his cheeks splotchy and eyes shiny with the impact of what just happened. I exhale, lifting my hand to my swollen lips.

  “What the hell was that?” Bram growls, turning on Terek.

  “Don’t blame me.” Terek holds his hands up in surrender but his expression drips in satisfaction. “Blame them!” He points to the tall flowers. A breeze rushes through the clearing, sending a few of them swaying and more of their otherworldly floral aroma into the air.

  “What do you mean?” I ask, trying to make sense of it. My heart is a wild beast in my chest, and even though I know better, all I want is to crawl back into Bram’s arms and surrender.

  Terek’s grin is wicked. “This isn’t Drakenon, Princess. How am I to know that you and your little prince would react so strongly to the flowers? They are magic, you know. Everything in this land is here for a reason.”

  I don’t have a reply to that. I don’t even know what I could say. Was the kiss real? Was it the result of the flowers and nothing else? I want so badly to know but I can’t go there, can’t think it. Because either way, that kiss with Bram can never be repeated.

  “Nobody can know about this,” Bram says in a rush. “It could be dangerous to us both and anyway, it wasn’t our fault. We didn’t mean it.”

  I hold my breath. He’s right, surely. But I can’t speak.

  Terek smiles at us like we’re his best friends. I take in his pink lips, slightly pointed teeth, and the thick golden hair framing his face. Somehow, I highly doubt that we’re anything close to friends, especially after he brought us into this meadow. He’s playing a game of cat and mouse. At first I thought he had a reason for toying with us, but now I wonder if he wasn’t lying before, and if the elf actually is just bored.

  Actually, I know he wasn’t lying. Elves can’t lie.

  “Consider this already forgotten, please?” I ask through my most charming smile. I’ve had seventeen years to perfect my fake smile, but I wonder how many years Terek has had to perfect his. He could be centuries old, for all I know.

  He holds up the bloody dead fowl and waggles his blond eyebrows. “Who’s hungry?” When we don’t answer, he clarifies with a teasing laugh. “Hungry for food, I mean.”

  I want to sink into a puddle of embarrassment right then and there. Once again, Terek laughs at our expense. He never agrees to keep our secret. Of course he doesn’t. He can’t. That probably would be a lie, afterall.

  “Welcome to Fae territory, where we trade in lust and traffic in secrets.”

  23

  Hazel

  “I showed you mine,” Dean says. “Now it’s your turn.”

  My cheeks flush and I clear my throat. “I’m assuming you want me to do that reading for you now?”

  He raises an eyebrow. “That would be correct.”

  “Right now?”

  “It’s only fair.”

  I have so many questions for him but I know those will have to wait, so I start how I always start, by inviting only the spirits of the light into our space. As I speak, embarrassment twists in my gut. I feel so weird doing this in front of Dean but then again, if he thinks I’m weird, then he’d be one to talk. He’s a dragon shifter, for crying out loud! That, my friends, is the opposite of normal. I’ve never met someone who’s stranger than me, and as much as I hate to admit it, I like this new revelation. I like him. And I shouldn’t. I should be focusing on my feelings for Landon. He’s the kind of person that will keep me sane. He’s what I should want. He ticks all the right boxes… I think. At least, I’m pretty sure he ticks off the “normal” boxes.

  As Dean and I wait for the spirits to reveal themselves, I run my index finger along my obsidian necklace. I know I need to remove it. I always keep it on, even when I’m showering or working out. The only times I remove it is when I’m doing readings at The Flowering Chakra, so I can allow the spirits to fully come in. For some reason, I’m too afraid to do that now. The little circular stones lay warm against my skin, a protection.

  Dean’s secret scares me, but it also draws me to him. Maybe I should take off the necklace.

  “Anything?” he asks, his eyebrows drawing together in concentration. This is important to him.

  I bite my lip, knowing I’m about to disappoint him. I mumble, “No, there’s nothing coming through yet.”

  My heart is racing. Take off the necklace!

  I’m so used to him getting angry at me that I expect anger to be his immediate reaction. But it’s not. Frustration and sadness filter across his face, even as he holds his composure. Then his eyes dart to where I’m playing with the obsidian necklace and an idea sparks.

  “Maybe you should take that off,” he says, nodding toward the necklace like he can read my thoughts. “Those are protection stones, right?”

  “Right.” I sit back, revealing my own vulnerability. “Truth is, I’m afraid if I take it off, the unwanted spirits will come. You’re different than other clients. What will happen? And anyway, both times the dragon spirit came through, I had this on. I don’t think the stones protect against that spirit, just other ones.”

  He lets out a breath, laying it all out there. “Please, Hazel. I need your help. I’m the only dragon shifter here. Something happened and I had to leave my home. I can never go back.”

  There’s a vulnerability in his dark eyes I haven’t seen before. I want to help, I do. But to take off my necklace?

  “Who’s Khali?” I ask. Her name has been rolling around in my brain since the moment he spoke it. To say it aloud almost feels like I’m admitting to the crush I’ve developed for the guy, because I’m illogically jealous of a girl I’ve never met.

  “She was my friend and the reason I had to leave.” He frowns and rakes a hand through his hair. “I’ve
been worried about her ever since that dragon sent you her image. I need to know more because I can’t go back. Was the dragon her or someone else? That night I left you with my car, I was trying to get more information, but I couldn’t get anything. I have no idea what’s going on back home and it’s killing me.”

  Is he being purposely vague about this? Probably. Is he in love with this Khali girl? It sounds like it. I don’t blame him. I saw her, she’s drop-dead gorgeous. They match in so many ways. They would be perfect for each other. And that thought makes my heart pound even more.

  “Okay,” I say and before I can second guess myself, I unclasp the necklace. It drops into my hands, and I ignore the icy fear creeping up my spine as I set it on the nearby coffee table.

  And then all at once, I’m surrounded. The spirits come from all directions, but it’s one that sends a terrified gasp to my lips.

  Katherine.

  She’s still dripping wet. She’s still gagging on the water, her hair stuck to her face, her eyes vacant and bloodshot. She’s still trying to speak to me, even though I know it won’t work. She seems to realize it too, because suddenly, she rushes at me and grabs hold of my arms.

  I know it’s not real, know she can’t actually touch me or hurt me, but I scream anyway. And then everything goes black. I fall back against the couch, my eyes fluttering shut, as the images wash over me, one after the other, so fast they consume me until I am her and she is me and I can’t get away.

  It’s the first day of classes. There’s not much to it, no real assignments yet, so when I see the flyer for the party at the fraternity house, I decide to go. Maybe there will be some sorority girls there and I can get a jump on recruitment week. I dress up in a black silk blouse, tight ripped jeans, and black heels. I don’t want to go overboard but I still want to look good, so this seems like the perfect compromise. I don’t know any girls in my dorm yet, but I should be fine to go alone. Greek row isn’t far from here. And I’m sure I’ll make friends when I get there. I wasn’t all too good at making friends as a kid but I have improved and these days, it’s easy for me to strike up conversations with strangers.